The Scenery Of Farewell

(Saddle Creek; US: 19 Jun 2007; UK: Available as import)

Two Gallants: The Scenery Of Farewell

Coming off their infamous taser-inducing performance last year in Austin Texas, the Delta Blues folk duo Two Gallants release a stellar EP of raspy, no frills redneck blues from the Dirty South. The aforementioned “taser” incident occurred when the band reportedly was confronted onstage by Austin police and resisted. This caused an ensuing melee that resulted in guitarist Adam Stephens being tasered, and Langhorne Slim’s standup bass destroyed in the cross-fire. Stephens, along with drummer/vocalist Tyson Vogel, is a mere 26-years-old which is shocking when you hear their seasoned—approach to blues—sort of like a more honest and subdued Jack White. The Scenery of Farewell is filled with traditional, long-haired folk ballads such as the spousal lament “Lady” where Vogel gloomily states, “You know she got the best of me, cause she’s not lying next to me”. Set to the Stephens’ gentle folk strums of Vogel continues to pontificate about “counting thoughts with coffee spoons” and declares how “old men like me just tuck their shirts in”. What’s amazing is that I’m apt to believe he knows what he’s talking about—and he’s younger than I am.

Joe is a freelance writer who focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. His work has been published at AOL Music, Staten Island Advance, NYDailyNews.com, and SIDump.com. One semester away from mastering J-School over at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Joe lives in a pastoral abode out on Staten Island where he enjoys the solitude and the whiskey.